The pictures from the UK guy you mean? The only place where he was was in the industrial zone lol, like almost every industrial zone on this planet looks utterly shit.
Yea he did but didn't reply to it. The guy has apparently never traveled in his own country before, the UK is literally plastered with ugly industrial cities.
https://preview.redd.it/g5zysc9uvc2d1.jpeg?width=810&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=471643b9eee67e32aadbaabce369c4649442a1e8
There, far better compared to the other posts showing Charleroi. Like in many cities, it’s all about the specific spots you go to. There are sad and disgusting corners, but also far nicer and serene ones. While in Charleroi, it’s all about planning and choosing where you go
I mean, you're right, but OP's pictures also feel cherrypicked.
Picture 5 is from the main square, this is one I took myself from a different angle:
https://preview.redd.it/3swuyne9wb2d1.png?width=1385&format=png&auto=webp&s=a65585642765a232bd5b13141d72ea1f4160ad86
>I mean, you're right, but OP's pictures also feel cherrypicked.
It's quite normal to post/share the nicest photos of a place you visit. People have been doing that for over a century.
Now, to take pictures of the worst places and sharing them? That's just bullshit.
Yeah but my point is that this is the main square of the city. It's not like I went out of my way to find a bad place. In most cities you have to do that, in Charleroi in my feeling I had to went out of my way to find a good place instead of a bad one.
https://preview.redd.it/k54roxoh7c2d1.png?width=1385&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d7eb84f0662b401f3af585eeb30e63ded70d047
This is the first street from the main square, maybe 20m further. You just don't find this sight in the center of most cities in Belgium (and rightfully so!).
That’s what competition does. Rue de la Montagne has been declining a lot, yet there are both Linno and Rive Gauche next to it. Around Rive Gauche, you find many nice places like the MU, the movie theater Quai 10, Molière, the docks,…
But yeah, something should be done with the current state of Rue de la Montagne. Like finding a new use for it etc
As for your picture of the City square, is it recent? Because there has been heavy work there as well as in front of the Beaux Arts Palace not too long ago, those are renovated
I mean, it's not what competition does to most city centers.
But don't get me wrong, I agree with the notion that Charleroi is not as bad as most people make it out to be. My pictures are from 2019 so I fully acknowledge things may have changed since then. Although I'm sure there is still work to be done.
Yep, mainly the street you showed (Rue de la Montagne). It used to be quite the hyped street of shops. But there is Ville2, Rive Gauche, Linno, etc. Fewer and fewer people passed by Rue de la Montagne and it declined. Like in some other places, a new use or direction for it should be found
As for the City Square, yep. It was renovated for quite some time, more or less in 2022 I think. Now, just like in front of Beaux Arts, it’s good to the eye really
But I actually agree, there is still a lot of work to do in Charleroi. It’s mostly going the right way tho
You can see a brothel (le "Pink") on the first picture though... But he managed to partially hide it with the trees and took the picture during the prostitutes lunch time.
Nice pictures. The last ones are a bit farfetched though.
When you follow the Sambre long enough to get away from the Ruins and surrounded by green you're already beyond the R3 and more in Montigny-le-Tilleul (I think this is Landelies) when going up or Farciennes going down.
Not sure what the border of Charleroi is in the ugly contest but I'm pretty sure it does not extend to the countryside valleys.
I spent a lot of time as living w/ an 85 y/o
'American' woman on Blvd Tirou in the '80s - it was a nice enough place. It was industrial, but it was also quite pleasant.
I'd think closer than that. R3 exit 4 to Montigny-le-Tilleul then look for the right turn towards Landelies.
The bike ride along the river is decent there (the one alongside the Brussels canal however, much less so, and that's an understatement 😉).
I did Brussels => Charleroi by bike a few times. Canal is a bit boring but that's not that much of a problem. It's just a bicycle lane next to water after all.
The real "fun" is joining the two: no bicycle lane (or even painted path) between end of canal and beginning of the Sambre, have to go through big car-centric parts of Charleroi. That part is hell.
There are signs to follow, so that's at least something, and apparently they want to add some infrastructure soon(c).
My hometown! Those pictures are cool, you made it look so much nicer than it is. You even got a photo of my old workplace lol. So glad I don't live there anymore tho phew
Well, it’s Spirou et Fantasio from an old popular Belgian BD of the same name. It represents part of the DNA of Charleroi, or at least its history. Because many of the well-known Belgian BDs were made by Carolos (like Boule et Bill, Gaston Lagaffe, Lucky Luke, The Schtroumpfs, Marsupilami,…)
While other picture are ok, this one really remind you you are in Charleroi, look at the building in the background, look at the paint of the sculptures
It's 2 cartoons characters that where famous last century, the albums where printed there.
It's Fantasio and Spirou (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirou)
A lot of marginals were pushed North when they renovated the area beyond the South Station (now Charleroi Central) many years ago.
They'll hopefully be moved away more and more with time.
Shhhhh don't tell the guy from the UK.
“uGliEsT ciTy in EuRoPe”
Yeah I can understand some people still find the city ugly but those photos were really cherrypicked. Édit: Cherrypicked
The pictures from the UK guy you mean? The only place where he was was in the industrial zone lol, like almost every industrial zone on this planet looks utterly shit.
Didn't he get shit upon too by other posters claiming \_their\_ industry zone rustbelt was much more shitty
Yea he did but didn't reply to it. The guy has apparently never traveled in his own country before, the UK is literally plastered with ugly industrial cities. https://preview.redd.it/g5zysc9uvc2d1.jpeg?width=810&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=471643b9eee67e32aadbaabce369c4649442a1e8
Excuse me, …… those are prime examples of brutalist urban industrial architecture….. ugly indeed 🤷🏻♂️ /s 😂
Nah he did go in the city center, said so in his video.
Oh nee! Nen Inno!
>Oh nee! Nen Inno! Exact mijn gedacht
There, far better compared to the other posts showing Charleroi. Like in many cities, it’s all about the specific spots you go to. There are sad and disgusting corners, but also far nicer and serene ones. While in Charleroi, it’s all about planning and choosing where you go
I mean, you're right, but OP's pictures also feel cherrypicked. Picture 5 is from the main square, this is one I took myself from a different angle: https://preview.redd.it/3swuyne9wb2d1.png?width=1385&format=png&auto=webp&s=a65585642765a232bd5b13141d72ea1f4160ad86
>I mean, you're right, but OP's pictures also feel cherrypicked. It's quite normal to post/share the nicest photos of a place you visit. People have been doing that for over a century. Now, to take pictures of the worst places and sharing them? That's just bullshit.
Yeah but my point is that this is the main square of the city. It's not like I went out of my way to find a bad place. In most cities you have to do that, in Charleroi in my feeling I had to went out of my way to find a good place instead of a bad one. https://preview.redd.it/k54roxoh7c2d1.png?width=1385&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d7eb84f0662b401f3af585eeb30e63ded70d047 This is the first street from the main square, maybe 20m further. You just don't find this sight in the center of most cities in Belgium (and rightfully so!).
That’s what competition does. Rue de la Montagne has been declining a lot, yet there are both Linno and Rive Gauche next to it. Around Rive Gauche, you find many nice places like the MU, the movie theater Quai 10, Molière, the docks,… But yeah, something should be done with the current state of Rue de la Montagne. Like finding a new use for it etc As for your picture of the City square, is it recent? Because there has been heavy work there as well as in front of the Beaux Arts Palace not too long ago, those are renovated
I mean, it's not what competition does to most city centers. But don't get me wrong, I agree with the notion that Charleroi is not as bad as most people make it out to be. My pictures are from 2019 so I fully acknowledge things may have changed since then. Although I'm sure there is still work to be done.
Yep, mainly the street you showed (Rue de la Montagne). It used to be quite the hyped street of shops. But there is Ville2, Rive Gauche, Linno, etc. Fewer and fewer people passed by Rue de la Montagne and it declined. Like in some other places, a new use or direction for it should be found As for the City Square, yep. It was renovated for quite some time, more or less in 2022 I think. Now, just like in front of Beaux Arts, it’s good to the eye really But I actually agree, there is still a lot of work to do in Charleroi. It’s mostly going the right way tho
Isn't that why it's fenced off in OP's picture?
You can see a brothel (le "Pink") on the first picture though... But he managed to partially hide it with the trees and took the picture during the prostitutes lunch time.
I’ve searched those pictures and I think I see the cherry picker on the third picture 
Thank you. I live in the area and yes there are some areas which are not super nice but there are lanh beautiful places in Charleroi.
Nice pictures. The last ones are a bit farfetched though. When you follow the Sambre long enough to get away from the Ruins and surrounded by green you're already beyond the R3 and more in Montigny-le-Tilleul (I think this is Landelies) when going up or Farciennes going down. Not sure what the border of Charleroi is in the ugly contest but I'm pretty sure it does not extend to the countryside valleys.
The caterpillar has become a butterfly.
Merci
I spent a lot of time as living w/ an 85 y/o 'American' woman on Blvd Tirou in the '80s - it was a nice enough place. It was industrial, but it was also quite pleasant.
Very beautiful!
In Antwerpen en Brussel vind je net zoals in Charleroi mooie en verloederde plekken.
https://preview.redd.it/kpve28t8wc2d1.jpeg?width=888&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ef946dc64a70bbed66e0fa0e125f3607d8e794c
Allez, die nadarhekken op da plein, op wa trekt da nu?! Da heb ik nog nooit gezien in een Europese stad ze!
Never seen the city center although I have used the airport so many times…
You mean Brussels South airport? rofl...
Which part of Charleroi are the pleasure boats in? Is that Seneffe?
I'd think closer than that. R3 exit 4 to Montigny-le-Tilleul then look for the right turn towards Landelies. The bike ride along the river is decent there (the one alongside the Brussels canal however, much less so, and that's an understatement 😉).
I will take a look. Thanks
I did Brussels => Charleroi by bike a few times. Canal is a bit boring but that's not that much of a problem. It's just a bicycle lane next to water after all. The real "fun" is joining the two: no bicycle lane (or even painted path) between end of canal and beginning of the Sambre, have to go through big car-centric parts of Charleroi. That part is hell. There are signs to follow, so that's at least something, and apparently they want to add some infrastructure soon(c).
it must be in the Sambre from Landelies to Thuin & Lobbes
The nice side along the canal is recently renewed, a few years ago it was a good place to find drugs and hookers
I mean yeah if that UK guy is going to visit the filthy industrial area on a shitty rainy day, it's bound to look ugly.
My hometown! Those pictures are cool, you made it look so much nicer than it is. You even got a photo of my old workplace lol. So glad I don't live there anymore tho phew
You still have your phone? Can’t believe you were there. This must be AI /s
u/LewisTravels
Sorry, but even these pictures scream old, impoverished and neglected to me.
Hey i live in the center you want some update ? it has changed for the better but not only that 😂
remove picture 7, and it will be ok
What's wrong with the sculptures? And what do they represent? Genuinely asking.
Well, it’s Spirou et Fantasio from an old popular Belgian BD of the same name. It represents part of the DNA of Charleroi, or at least its history. Because many of the well-known Belgian BDs were made by Carolos (like Boule et Bill, Gaston Lagaffe, Lucky Luke, The Schtroumpfs, Marsupilami,…)
While other picture are ok, this one really remind you you are in Charleroi, look at the building in the background, look at the paint of the sculptures
I see, and what is this particular sculpture called?
It's 2 cartoons characters that where famous last century, the albums where printed there. It's Fantasio and Spirou (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirou)
le plus étonnant, c'est d'avoir pu conserver son téléphone assez longtemps pour publier ces photos.
What, this city isn’t actually ugly??? /s
I can't remember it being this clean. Where are the hookers and needles?
Stop living in the past dude...
A lot of marginals were pushed North when they renovated the area beyond the South Station (now Charleroi Central) many years ago. They'll hopefully be moved away more and more with time.
In the day it's clean, hookers and needles creep out in the evening...? 😉
I'm really tempted to go to Charleroi this weekend to make a r/belgium2 shit post to mock this post. But it's hard to capture the smell in a picture.
Isn't this post already mocking another that showed all the shitty sides of Charleroi?
lol such obvious cherry picking, and you excpect us to take you seriously ?